Certified ISR Instructor

Swim Lessons with Mikaela Kinkade

Providing specialized ISR lessons in Verrado and North Surprise, AZ.

Meet your instructor!

Hi, I’m a wife, a mom of two, and a certified ISR instructor with a lifelong passion for water safety. I have been teaching private, one-on-one ISR swim lessons for the past 8 years, helping children develop essential water survival skills in a calm, supportive, and individualized environment.

My connection to ISR began early—I personally went through the ISR program as a child. That experience laid the foundation for my deep respect for the program and its proven, life-saving impact. Becoming a parent only strengthened my commitment to water safety and my desire to help other families feel confident, prepared, and empowered around the water.

I currently teach private swim lessons in Verrado and North Surprise, focusing on meeting each child where they are and tailoring lessons to their unique needs. I understand the immense trust it takes to place your child in someone else’s care, and I take that responsibility to heart. Teaching ISR is more than a job to me—it’s my passion, and it’s an honor to help children gain skills that can truly last a lifetime.

Ready to give your child confidence and safety in the water? I’d love to work with your family—contact me today to schedule lessons.

FAQs

Is it the baby fat that makes them float?

Actually, the primary factor in a baby’s ability to float is the ability to take air into the lungs. To maintain this access to air, the child must adjust his/her posture. The difference in positioning for an adult can be inches. For a baby, this adjustment is reduced to centimeters. If a child’s body posture is just a few centimeters off, it can make the difference between the face being submerged or the child having access to air.

Are swimming lessons for infants and young children safe?

I can’t speak for all swim lessons, but I can tell you ISR is dedicated to safety and maintaining numerous safety protocols to promote safe lessons. Your child's health and well-being are our highest priority and are closely monitored on a daily basis. In addition, your child's medical and developmental history is a mandatory part of the ISR national registration process, all of which is held strictly confidential. All ISR instructors undergo intensive and rigorous training that far exceeds any other training program of this kind. Each ISR instructor is also required to recertify yearly with emphasis on quality control, safety and lesson efficiency. Your education in the area of aquatic safety for your entire family is an integral part of your child's lessons. You will receive access to the "Parent Resource Guide" to inform you about every aspect of swimming and aquatic safety for infants and children. With research, you will find that ISR is not only the safest survival swimming program but also the most effective for teaching infants and young children.

How can you teach babies and young children to swim?

ISR instructors teach infants to swim by honoring each child's individual strengths and experiences. They understand the fundamentals of the behavioral sciences, child development and of sensori-motor learning as it relates to the acquisition of aquatic survival skills; they use this education to guide each child through the sequence of learning to swim and float.

How do the kids react during the first few lessons?

Children often fuss during the first few lessons because they are in a new environment and around new people. As your child becomes more confident in his/her ability in the water, the fussing will decrease. It is not unlike the first time you tried a new exercise class or were asked to perform a task at work that you’d never done before: the first time you try a new task it is always challenging, until you get the hang of it. It is the same for your young child. Your child is learning to perform a skill that he/she’s never done before.

Ready to sign up?

I would love to work with you!